This is an older thing I wrote before I learned that indentations were a thing you should do. Anyway, this is a story about Eva during her pregnancy, and I just wanted to share it. It might be kinda crappy, but eh, I figured I might as well share it. As always, reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated. Enjoy!
-Archer
I remember the deafening silence when they asked who would do it. I looked around then; everyone did. My eyes briefly met with Para-Medic's before hers flitted down to the floor. I knew we were the only two women here, and all eyes were on us now. I saw her take a deep breath as if she was about to say something. I didn't think twice before I stood up.
"I will." All eyes were on me now, and I briefly looked over at a relieved Para-Medic. She looked at me and smiled thankfully and encouragingly. I knew it would have to be me who did it. I had loved him, and he had loved me. I knew Para-Medic had important work to do, and couldn't deal with being pregnant at this time. I took a deep breath and nodded in confirmation of my choice.
I woke up after the procedure was done three weeks later, still feeling groggy. The first thing I did was move my hands to my belly, and even though I couldn't feel them, I knew there would be eight babies there soon. Eight… Damn, that was a lot… I briefly wondered how I would even survive this. Para-Medic walked in and smiled when she saw I was awake.
"Oh, good! You're up! How are you feeling?"
"Still a little woozy, but I'll be okay. How am I gonna survive having eight babies anyway?" I chuckled. I watched her face fall.
"They didn't… They didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?" I asked, feeling a cold wave of panic wash over me.
"You're only going to have two of them. It's something called the Super Baby method. They put eight embryos in you, but they're going to abort six to promote stronger growth in two of them later on." She said this quietly, and without looking me in the eyes. I knew this wasn't her idea, and she felt bad about it.
"Oh," I muttered, moving my hands over my belly again, swearing to myself that I could almost feel my babies…
My babies.
That thought right there was a mistake on my part. I should have known better than to let myself get attached. I knew they weren't my babies, not truly. Still, I would be the one to carry them, to bring them into the world and give them life. To keep them safe. Neither of us wanted to say anything after that, so we didn't.
The first month was largely uneventful, and passed by rather easily, aside from all the morning sickness and people watching me every waking moment to make sure I was safe. I managed to convince them at one point to let me go and have a week to myself. This week was largely spent tracking down Big Boss so I could talk to him. He deserved to know. I think he was surprised when I found him. Hell, I know he was. Still, he invited me into the base and looked a little taken aback to see me in normal clothes. He sat me down in a chair and sat across from me.
"So, Eva. It's been-"
"Awhile, yeah." I finished for him. A smile graced his lips and I felt a little more at ease.
"So what brings you here?"
"I'm not going to beat around the bush, okay? I didn't come here to say hi and have a nice little chat about the weather over tea. I'm pregnant." He frowned and looked at my stomach.
"How long-?"
"A month. It was my choice. I volunteered to have the babies."
"I knew there was talk, but… Damn." He chuckled. "I don't know what to say." We both smiled sadly. I leaned forward and clasped his hand in mine.
"Look, I know you're opposed to this whole Les Enfants Terribles thing, but I don't… I don't want my babies to grow up without their father." I looked into his eyes pleadingly. They almost seemed to flash dangerously, and he jerked his hand away.
"Eva, they're not your babies. And I'm not their father. I told all of you I didn't want anything to do with this! That's why I left! You know these babies aren't going to even be in your hands, right? Most likely they'll be shipped off somewhere hot and muggy and taught to kill and maim and enjoy it. Don't be stupid." My hand stung with the pain of slapping him before I had even realized that I'd done it. I stood up and watched the shock register on his face.
"You're the stupid one if you think I'd let that happen." I growled. His laugh stung as it rang through the empty room.
"And what are you going to do? Raise them yourself? Run away with them?"
"Maybe I will!" I cried, making my way to the door. Damn idiot… He always knew how to get me fired up. Of course, I'd always had a temper, and I knew I was being irrational. My hand was on the doorknob when I felt his strong hand close around my other wrist. I turned around and looked at him with malice.
"Eva, wait. Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you angry. I… I don't want you to leave."
"Well you've got an interesting way of fucking showing it!" I cried, trying to yank my arm out of his grip.
"Please, hear me out," he pleaded, looking into my eyes. I could see his blue eyes were now tame and full of sincerity. I huffed and let go of the doorknob.
"Fine. What do you want to say?"
"I think you should stay with me."
"Why?" I inquired, "I'm kind of a package deal right now. You get me, you get the babies, and I've got a funny feeling you only want one of us." He rubbed his forehead tiredly, sighing heavily.
"I don't know. I just… Look, do you remember what happened in Hanoi?"
"How could I forget?" I muttered, looking down into my lap. "You saved my life." I was surprised when he reached over to hold my hand.
"Do you remember what we did after that?"
"Yeah, we went to that shitty hotel, and…" I trailed off as he moved to sit on the couch next to me.
"And do you remember what I told you that night?" he asked, taking my other hand and looking into my eyes. I nodded, feeling my cheeks get hot.
"You told me that I was one of the most wonderful people you'd ever met, and that… You loved me…" He smiled and rested his forehead against mine, and our eyes fluttered closed. I felt him press a kiss to my cheek, then my nose, and then my forehead.
"Do you think I would have told you that if I didn't mean it?" I felt a lump rise in my throat and I bit my lip.
"I don't know, Snake… I just… I'm not sure who I can and can't trust anymore…" I sighed, feeling him wrap his arms around me and pull me close, one of his hands resting on my tummy.
"Stay with me, please. Even if it's just one night. I missed you so much, and I need you here with me. I love you. I never stopped loving you." I felt a tear trace its way down my face, and I hugged him back as he kissed me. After that, it gets kind of fuzzy, but I spent the night with him. I woke up early in the morning, and pulled my clothes back on. The scene was all too familiar to me, but this time I didn't have to kill him. I leaned over and kissed his cheek as he slept before leaving to go back to the base.
At month two, I knew that saying goodbye to six of my babies would be happening in a shorter time than I realized, and I found myself saddened by this. At this point I knew they were just clumps of cells really, but nonetheless… I knew I wouldn't survive having eight babies, and they most likely wouldn't survive either. I accepted these facts with steely determination, and I made sure to stay healthy for the sake of my children. Still, two would live. Twins. Some people had already started referring to my future children as the Twin Snakes, a name I wasn't opposed to but wasn't happy with either. I wanted these children to have their own lives, their own legacies. I would hate it if they were merely raised to be just like their father, even if they were clones. Not much happened in month two to speak of, but they did start doing ultrasounds so they could see how the babies were developing. They let me see the ultrasounds, and though I didn't show it, I was secretly excited to meet my children.
When month three rolled around, I was escorted in the room where the thing I'd so been dreading would happen. They put me under, and I still remember my last thought before I fell asleep.
I'm sorry… I love you… I wish it didn't have to be like this…
When I woke up, it was almost like I felt… Lighter, but heavier all the same. Para-Medic was called in once they noticed I had come to. She walked over and hugged me almost immediately.
"Are you okay?" She asked and I was a little surprised by the genuine concern in her voice.
"Y-yeah. I'm fine. Just still kind of reeling, you know?" She let go of me and nodded.
"Six more months. You'll be fine until then, right?" I smiled sadly and nodded.
"I sure as hell hope so, or else you guys aren't doing your jobs right." She laughed tensely at my joke, and sat down in the chair next to my bed. There was a long moment of tense silence before she spoke.
"How do you do it?" she asked. I looked at her, confused.
"Do what?"
"I mean, how are you so brave? I know I wouldn't be able to do this if it was me they'd chosen." I raised an eyebrow.
"Me? I don't know what's brave about it. They needed someone to do it, and I knew you didn't want to, so I figured I would. It's actually kind of stupid if you ask me."
"What? No! You're… you're amazing! All I do is talk about movies and stitch people up…"
"Hey," I said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "The world needs just as many doctors as it does soldiers. And you're great at what you do. Besides, I like hearing you talk about movies. It's nice to see how happy they make you." She smiled shyly, her cheeks tinted pink.
"You really think so?"
"I may have been trained to lie, but that doesn't mean I can't tell the truth." She laughed, an honest, genuine laugh this time.
"Thank you. You have no idea how much it means to hear that from someone like you."
And that was how our close friendship began. Before we'd been colleagues, coworkers. Never really said much to each other except maybe a hello in the hall or a passing comment about the weather or a movie she'd gone to see that weekend. After that day, we were a lot closer. We would eat lunch together, have long discussions about things that didn't really matter, but were fun to talk about nonetheless. We would exchange stories about Snake and laugh and laugh until our sides hurt. I remember one night where I told her that if I got a chance to keep the babies, she was more than welcome to be the godmother. I think that made her really happy. As we became closer, she told me I could call her Jane, since that was her real name, and I told her she could keep calling me Eva because I never really liked my birth name anyway.
Month four was nicer with a friend and without having to worry about eight babies. Now I only had three to eat for (including me), which was a lot less of a burden. When I went in for an ultrasound, I was greeted with some pleasant news.
"They did tell you that since they're clones, they'll both be male, right?" Jane asked, pulling an ultrasound out of a folder.
"I don't think so, but that makes sense." I said as she handed me the ultrasound.
"Want to see your boys?" she inquired. I nodded eagerly, smiling so hard my face hurt. She showed me the different outlines of my sons, and I started crying.
"It's so weird, you know? That I'm going to bring life into the world in just a few months…" Jane looked at me and smiled sympathetically.
"It's weird to see how far you've come. You're showing now, so it's weird to think it happened so fast." She said, sitting down next to me.
"I know…" I sighed. We sat in silence for a while, staring at my stomach and the ultrasounds. I think that was the moment when it truly hit me that I was going to give birth in five months. "Hey," I said suddenly, nudging Jane with my elbow, "I guess I'll have to start thinking of names, huh?" She smiled.
"I guess you will! Well don't ask me for help. You know I'll just suggest the name of a movie character."
"That could be good," I laughed, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Well in that case… I saw a movie a few years back called 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the main character in that was named David." She suggested shyly.
"Hmmm… David… I kind of like it!" I said, putting my hands on my belly. "What do you think?" Suddenly, I felt a little nudge against my hand, and I jumped, eyes wide.
"What?" Jane asked, concerned.
"He kicked! One of my babies kicked! Jane, he's really in there… And he kicked… Oh my god…" I sniffled, tears welling up in my eyes. She wrapped her arms around me and for the first time, I felt like I was ready to be a mother.
At my fifth month, I was already showing very obviously, and the checkups were becoming more regular. One day, I couldn't help but wonder why Snake hadn't come looking for me. So, naturally, I decided to go looking for him. It was a little harder to convince them to let me go now that I was this far along, but Jane was on my side, so they let me. When I found him, we ended up going to a motel to talk in private.
"So, I see you're getting… more pregnant." He muttered shyly. I rolled my eyes and chucked.
"It's only two now."
"How many was it before?" I hesitated.
"Eight…"
"EIGHT?! Damn, Eva! What the hell happened to the other six?"
"Gone. They got rid of them to promote stronger growth in the other two." I said, looking at my hands folded in my lap. He sighed heavily and rubbed his temples with his fingers.
"Well what does any of this have to do with me?"
"I thought you might want to know about your sons. Jane and I-"
"Jane?"
"Para-Medic," I sighed, "Did you really never learn her name?" His face turned pink with shame and I shook my head.
"Anyway, Jane and I have been talking about names. We already have one picked out."
"Don't… Tell me. If you tell me then I'll get involved and I'll care and I can't do that. Eva, I don't want these babies! I don't… I don't want the Patriots to hurt you. I know you're going to get attached to these babies and when they take them away it's going to hurt you. I'm doing this because I don't want to hurt. I don't want these babies to ruin us." He said, looking at me almost pleadingly. I snorted angrily and stood up, walking over to him. I took his hand and held it against my stomach so he could feel the babies kick.
"Here, feel," I said, my voice breaking, "Snake, do you feel them moving? They're alive in there, they're kicking! They fight each other for fuck's sake! I can't sleep some nights because they're alive! They kick when I eat spicy food, they move when I sleep! They're growing, and I don't want them to grow up without love!" I cried, tears flowing now. I watched him squeeze his eye shut and pull his hand away.
"Eva… I can't. You have to understand I'm doing this for a reason. You know I love you, I just don't want you to get your heart broken!" I slapped him, hard, and he barely winced. I grabbed my bag and headed to the door.
"I'm going for a walk." I growled, "Oh, and his name is David by the way."
When month six dawned, it brought cravings with it. I remember putting ice cream and cheese on a sandwich together and saying it was the best thing I'd ever eaten. The boys started moving more, and I realized I had to start thinking of a name for David's brother. One day, Jane sat me down and explained that one of them would be engineered to have all Snake's dominant genes, and the other would have all the recessive ones.
"Three months…" She tutted, "That's not a lot of time when you really think about it." I shook my head and huffed, putting my hand on my stomach and feeling a kick and the boys moved, most likely fighting again.
"Have I told you they started fighting?" I asked, smiling wistfully. She smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.
"It's not uncommon for twins to fight in the womb. So, how have you been sleeping with that going on?"
"About as well as you can when there are two tiny people in your tummy trying to beat the shit out of each other." I sighed, making Jane laugh.
It was about a week after that when Ocelot contacted me. Jane called me into a room and handed me the phone and I heard a familiar voice on the other end.
"Eva? Is this you?"
"…Wait, Ocelot? Is that you? What's the problem?" I asked, hearing the nervousness in his voice.
"Nothing, I just wanted to check on you and the babies. Uh, listen; I'd be willing to keep you posted on Snake's situation. And there's someone I want you to meet. Would you be willing to meet me somewhere?" He said, seeming to rush out the words in a breath, as if he was in a hurry.
"Sure… Where?" I asked. He gave me the information and hung up kind of abruptly. So, naturally, in a week I met him in where he had instructed me to. It was a small coffee house, and I sat down on a plush chair as soon as I got in, being tired from walking. I ordered a hot chocolate and a sugar cookie and waited for the man I was to meet. I heard the bell attached to the door ding, followed by footsteps and the familiar jingle of spurs. I looked up and saw Ocelot, who definitely looked different from when I'd seen him in 1964. His hair was shaggier, and he had some stubble on his face. Actually, he was kind of handsome. Of course, I knew it wasn't likely that he was into anyone other than Snake. Until I saw the man behind him.
The other man was a little taller, wearing a trench coat and an ascot. His hair was longer than Ocelot's, and he wore a pair of sunglasses that added an air of mystery to his person. The men sat down across from me, and Ocelot smiled warmly.
"Hello, Eva."
"Hey," I said, not taking my eyes off the other man, "who's your friend?" I asked. Just because I was pregnant didn't mean I couldn't still work my magic. The man lowered his glasses, revealing pale blue eyes, and winked.
"I'm Kazuhira Miller, but you can call me Kaz." He said, practically purring. I smiled and leaned back some, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. Ocelot cleared his throat and glared at Kaz.
"Anyway, if we can get back to the point…" He sighed. Kaz snickered and leaned back, tapping a waiter on the shoulder and requesting two black coffees for him and Ocelot, who rested his hand on mine.
"Eva, like I said, Kaz and I would be willing to keep you updated on Snake. I know you're worried about him."
"We're with you, by the way. Regarding the babies. If you ever need help, call on us." Kaz said, leaning forward. The waiter walked by and set our orders on the table and left. I took a bite of my cookie, which was still soft and warm. I smiled at the men and moved my hands to my belly.
"Thank you… It means a lot to me that you're willing to do this for me. I'll make sure to have you there when the babies are born, and maybe Snake too. It might help him change his mind if he meets them." I said, tugging on my hair. Kaz smiled and nodded as Ocelot leaned back in his chair and sighed as if something heavy was weighing on his heart.
"I sure hope so…" he muttered, taking a swig of his bitter coffee.
When I was seven months along, people were really starting to get excited for the arrival of my sons. Jane started checking up on me more often, and so did Ocelot and Kaz. They would meet me in that same coffee house almost every week and we would sit and talk about our pasts with Snake and how he was now. Ocelot told me Snake looked like he was thinking a lot lately, and Kaz said maybe he would come around. I wish I could have believed that, but I knew it would never happen, even deep down inside. I loved him, yes, but I loved my sons more. If this was how it would be, raising them on my own, then I would make peace with that when the time came, and it would be here soon whether I liked it or not. The resident doctors and staff were all eagerly preparing for the babies to be born. They were already setting up rooms and buying all the things that needed to be bought. I knew that there wouldn't be a baby shower, which I'll admit I was a little sad about. The month was quiet, and I didn't do much, aside from lounge around, and the month passed easily. I thought often about my sons and names for them, not to mention their father. Ocelot and Kaz kept me updated, and he was safe as far as I knew. He hadn't mentioned anything about me or the babies to them, which didn't surprise me, but I did think it was a little disappointing. The babies began moving and kicking more often, and it was getting harder for me to sleep. Jane and I began spending more time together, and Zero insisted someone be around me at all times to ensure my safety, but Jane managed to talk him out of it. They still kept a close eye on me though. I couldn't help but wonder if they even really cared about me as a person anymore or they just saw me as some kind of vessel or incubator for the sons of Big Boss. I wondered, for the first time, what would become of me after the babies were born. I didn't like to think about it.
Month eight rolled in and brought with it many false alarms. It seemed like everyone was holding their breath. Cloning had never before been successfully carried out, and we were all nervous I would lose the babies when I was so damn close… I was counting down the days on the calendar, and had even marked the due date. I knew it wasn't likely they'd be born exactly on that day, but I also knew if they were too late the doctors would induce labor. The fear of any complications was now more prevalent than ever in all of our collective minds. To pass the time and stop worrying, Jane and I started going to a bookshop and browsing regularly. I spent a lot of time looking at books on pregnancy, and many people asked when I was due. I would tell them it was about a month away and they would smile. I would answer any questions they had, and they sure had more than I thought were possible.
Jane and I soon set our minds to thinking of a name for the second twin, and when she suggested Eli, I found myself thinking it over.
"Eli… Actually, I like that. David and Eli." I hummed thoughtfully, placing a hand on my stomach and feeling the babies kick. "How did you think of it?" I asked.
"It's my older brother's name," She muttered shyly, looking at her hands folded in her lap.
"Well I think it's a great name." I announced. One of the babies kicked as if agreeing with me.
I was both nervous and excited to be a mother, and as the ninth month began, it was almost like I was constantly holding my breath. The due date came and passed, and I was already beginning to worry. Jane told me it was normal for the due date to be a little off, but I was biting my nails nonetheless. I remember waking up with a sharp pain in my stomach and sitting up in bed. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was 2 AM. Another sharp pang and I stood up, looking for Jane. It was almost like I was in some kind of trance, moving off instinct alone. I woke her up and told her what was happening, and the necessary preparations were made. Oddly enough, I somehow found the strength to waddle over to the phone and call Ocelot and Kaz to tell them that the babies were on the way.
My water broke at 2:30 AM.
What followed is all a blur to me, but I remember the pain, which was followed by heavy medication to keep it at bay. I never went under, but it was almost like I was in some kind of in-between sleep and awakeness. People encouraged me as I went, and it felt like an eternity before I heard the cry of a baby. The second came an hour after the first as I was later informed, and as soon as I was done I reached out my arms. All I wanted was to hold my babies, to feed them, to finally meet the two tiny people I'd been protecting for months. Jane handed me the babies one at a time and I looked at them as they wailed.
"Hello," I sobbed weakly, "I'm your mom… Hi, David… Hi, Eli… It's so nice to finally meet you!" Before I knew it they were having their first meal. After they were done, Jane whisked them off to get cleaned up and swaddled.
When I woke up, light was streaming in through the curtains. The world felt completely new and light, and I sat up slowly. I took in the room, sighing heavily. The hard part was over, or so it seemed. A knock sounded on the door and I weakly croaked for whomever it was to come in. Jane stepped in holding the babies, who were wrapped in blue blankets, and following her were Ocelot and Kaz. All three adults were grinning from ear to ear. Jane handed me my babies and I smiled at them. They were sleeping soundly, but one of them opened his eyes and yawned. His eyes were the same blue as his father's, and I gasped quietly. He looked up at me and made a quiet cooing noise. I felt tears well up in my eyes and I kissed his forehead.
"Hello," I said, "It's nice to meet you, David." I said, voice cracking. He squirmed in the blanket, waking up his twin. I looked at the other baby, who had startlingly bottle green eyes. "And you must be Eli!" I said, as the baby made a noise that indicated he was upset. I realized they must both be hungry, and I began to feed them.
"Has Snake called? Has anyone told him?" I asked, looking around at the faces of my friends. Ocelot frowned, looking at Kaz.
"Well, we haven't gotten a chance to yet. I was thinking we could ask him to come meet the babies." Kaz muttered, taking off his sunglasses and tucking them into his pocket. I nodded, pursing my lips.
"So," Jane said, trying to lighten the mood, "what do you think?" she asked. I smiled wider and looked at my sons.
"I love them…" I sighed, "They're beautiful. They're my sons. I'm a mother… Oh my god… I just… I don't even know what to say!" I sniffled, blinking back tears. We all exchanged looks and grins, and though I was smiling, I was secretly worried as to what would happen next.
Three days of bliss later, I was given some bad news.
"Eva! Wake up!" I heard Jane's voice in a hushed yell, and felt her shaking me.
"What…?" I muttered groggily.
"They said the project was a failure. They're going to send David and Eli away. We have to go now if we want to keep them safe." I looked up at her, hopped out of bed, and took a deep breath as I got dressed.
"Okay, let's go." I said, holding onto Jane's arm for stability.
We found where the babies were sleeping, and we each held one of them in our arms, not bothering to see who was who. It didn't matter to me. They were both my sons, and I loved them. Jane and I crept through the hallways, being careful not to wake the babies so they wouldn't cry out and alert anyone to our location. I held the baby in my arms closer, and slowly moved to open the door. I had just gotten my hand around the handle when I heard a familiar click.
"Stop right there, ladies." Zero's voice came from behind us, and we froze in our tracks. I swore under my breath and held one of my babies closer. "Where do you think you're going?" I turned around to see him holding a gun.
"We are taking my babies somewhere safe. Somewhere where they don't have to be called failures because they aren't perfect clones. You can't just take them away from me. They're my sons." I said, standing tall as the baby in my arms began to squirm. Zero smirked and looked at me as if I was an idiot.
"Oh, Eva. I thought you were smarter than this. I thought you knew not to get attached."
"Well you know me. I've never been good at that."
"Oh, we know. But you have to listen to me, or I'll be forced to do something I don't want to do. Now, both of you, give me the babies or we'll take them by force." I sneered and turned away so he couldn't see the tears in my eyes.
"Never," I growled, hugging my baby tight to my chest. Zero sighed and put his finger on the trigger.
"I was afraid you'd say that." I head something zip through the air and pain explode in my neck. Then, everything was gone.
When I woke up, I sat up groggily and looked around. The first thing I noticed was the heat, the humidity. I sat up and felt my head pounding. When my vision cleared, I realized I was in the wilderness. I looked down to assess any damage to my body, but saw none other than a few bruises and scratches. I stood up and felt the weight of a gun strapped to my hip, along with something else, and reached for it to check what kind it was. Looked like a tranq gun, but damn. Empty. I put the weapon back in its holster and checked what else I had. It looked like a survival knife. I decided that the best thing to do would be to get moving. I knew what had happened. They'd dumped me off god knew where and took my babies. Alright, I figured, if that was the way they wanted it to be, I could play dirty too. I brushed the dirt from my knees and pulled out my knife, looking around and picking a direction. As I sliced through a few large leaves with my knife, I realized I had no idea what was ahead or what I would do next, but I knew one thing: I wouldn't rest until I had my babies safe and sound in my arms.
No matter what I had to do to find them.